With and Without Selfcontrol

By Samuel C Bennett

My dissertation analyzes the overlooked character types of akrasia (un-self-control) and enkrateia

(self-control) in Aristotle's ethics. In Chapter 1, I argue that akrasia and enkrateia are character

types, or settled psychological dispositions, definable in terms of unique un-self-controlled and

self-controlled relations to choice-making. In Chapters 2 and 3, I contend that agents do not express

these character types only in temperance's practical domain; rather, agents can express akrasia

and enkrateia in any practical domain where one's reason can conflict with one's desire. More

specifically, in Chapter 2, I develop a distinction between strict forms of the character types, which

agents express in temperance's practical domain, and loose forms of the character types, which

agents express in other practical domains (e.g., in courage's practical domain). In Chapter 3, I draw

two lines of psychological justification for the view that akrasia and enkrateia are wide-ranging

character types and respond to some scholarly objections. In Chapter 4, I build an account of ethical

practical syllogisms and differentiate them from non-ethical practical syllogisms; I argue that an

agent expresses her character type through each feature of an ethical practical syllogism (i.e., not

only through the enacted choice that concludes her ethical practical syllogism, but also through

the propositions she exercises in it). Finally, in Chapter 5, I construct and analyze loose akratic

and enkratic practical syllogisms in a variety of practical domains to show that akrasia and

enkrateia are character types with wide ranges of expression.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 183571014X
• ISBN13: 9781835710142
• Release Date: October 2023
• Publisher: Alihyd Hussain
• Length: 396 Pages
• Weight: 1.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"